Press releases don’t exclusively lie in the realm of large corporations and marketing gurus. The truth is, they’re simple and can be free. In addition to sending press releases out to local media and industry outlets such as blogs, magazines, and websites, sending them to free websites that distribute to search engines can be an inexpensive and effective way to spread news and information about your salon.

Reneé Borowy, owner of Riverview, Mich.-based VIP Salon and Spa, distributes releases about awards the salon wins, coverage in national magazines, and participation in national events. For Borowy, these press releases aren’t a way to attract customers. Instead, they’re a way to “have the press aware of who you are and what you’re doing different,” she says.
While a direct increase in clientele is admittedly difficult to gauge, it’s often possible to track page views. Irina Gordon, owner of Dyanna Spa in New York City, also puts up online press releases, and she says the audience is out there. “In a very short time, we have been able to see over 2,000 views of each release, with this number growing daily,” she says.

Borowy, who will write her own releases when she has the time, sometimes hires Market Insights, a marketing company that charges $95 per press release. Gordon has a family member in the PR and marketing industry help out with writing.

Ideally, a press release should be search engine-optimized (SEO) to increase traffic to your salon’s site from search engines. Many online resources have tips on SEO, and here are just a few of the basic rules: Identify keywords and use them throughout the press release and in the heading, which should be short. The entire release should be kept short so as not to dilute the message, with estimates ranging from a maximum of five paragraphs to up to 600 words.

Free distribution sites are numerous and most have payment options for wider distribution. Gordon adds that many distribution sites now allow embedded video or photos within the press release, which can familiarize clients with the salon before they ever step inside. “We have had clients come into our salons who have already seen the space and even recognize our staff!” Gordon says.

If there’s something newsworthy to write about, a press release can distribute that information to the media for increased exposure and to potential clients. According to Borowy, it’s one way to keep ahead of the competition. “The competition is so fierce,” she says. “You have to set yourself apart from everybody else and do something different, and I feel this is one of the ways we get our information out there.”  

 

Free Press Release Distribution Sites to Consider:

> PR.com

> PRLog.org

> Free-press-release.com

> 24-7pressrelease.com

 

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